Manufacturing Process Engineer

Manufacturing Process Engineer - Shopfloor Location: Birmingham Salary: £35,000 per annum The Role Manufacturing Process Engineer – Shopfloor Location: Smethwick, Birmingham Salary: £35,000 per annum The Role Are you a hands-on Manufacturing or Process Engineer who enjoys solving problems, improving production processes and working directly with machinery? We are recruiting on behalf of an established manufacturing business in Smethwick for a Manufacturing Process Engineer to join its Technical Team. This is a predominantly shopfloor-based role where you will work closely with production operators, machine setters and engineers to troubleshoot manufacturing issues, optimise processes and drive continuous improvement. Working across a range of machinery and manufacturing operations, you will investigate problems at source, identify root causes and implement practical solutions to improve quality, productivity, efficiency and safety. If you enjoy getting involved on the shopfloor, taking ownership of technical challenges and finding better ways of working, this could be an excellent opportunity. Key Responsibilities Provide hands-on technical support to production teams, troubleshooting machinery, tooling and manufacturing process issues. Investigate root causes of production defects, tooling failures, machine downtime and process variation. Support manufacturing operations involving perforating presses, punching and turret machinery, fibre laser cutting, press brakes and sheet-metal fabrication. Develop, test and optimise manufacturing processes, machine settings and tooling methods. Support machine trials, new product introductions and the development of improved manufacturing techniques. Drive continuous improvement initiatives, including Lean Manufacturing, 5S, SMED, waste reduction and improved changeover times. Work with operators and setters to improve process consistency, repeatability and productivity. Develop and maintain practical Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs), machine-setting instructions and visual work instructions. Identify opportunities to improve material flow, reduce waste and enhance product quality. Support tooling development, manufacturing aids, fixtures and Design for Manufacture (DFM) activities where required. About You We are looking for a practical, mechanically minded engineer who is comfortable working on the shopfloor and enjoys tackling manufacturing challenges. You will ideally have: Experience in manufacturing engineering, process engineering or a similar technical role. A strong understanding of manufacturing processes, machinery and tooling. Experience troubleshooting production issues and carrying out root-cause analysis. The ability to identify problems and implement effective, practical solutions. Experience working closely with machine operators, setters and production teams. An understanding of continuous improvement techniques and process optimisation. Good communication and organisational skills. The ability to manage changing priorities in a fast-paced manufacturing environment. A proactive, hands-on approach, with the confidence to challenge existing methods constructively. Desirable Experience Experience in one or more of the following would be advantageous: Sheet-metal manufacturing or metal fabrication. Perforating presses, punches, dies and tooling systems. CNC punching, turret machinery or fibre laser cutting. Press brakes and forming processes. Tooling development and manufacturing trials. Lean Manufacturing, 5S, SMED and continuous improvement. SOP development and process standardisation. CAD/CAM, 2D/3D CAD or engineering drawings. Experience across every process listed is not essential. A strong manufacturing engineering background, practical problem-solving ability and a willingness to learn are equally important. The Working Environment This is a varied, hands-on role where no two days are necessarily the same. You could be inve